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In most households, the Thanksgiving meal ends up being a kind of chaotic free-for-all: Mains and side dishes are piled in the middle of the table, with cousins and in-laws reaching across place settings to refill their plates—and their glasses.

What this means for you, holiday host, is that you’re wasting your time painstakingly choosing individual wines that harmonize perfectly with your cranberry relish or your sage dressing. Your aim, instead, should be to serve a few bottles that go well with everything on the table.

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To achieve this there are only two words you need to know: pinot noir.

In its familiar form, pinot noir is the wine equivalent of a little black dress: You’d be hard-pressed not to find an expression of pinot—Old World or New, fruity or savory, lean or creamy—that doesn’t go with your Thanksgiving menu (though in my house, we try to honor the holiday’s history by choosing American bottlings when we can).

“Your aim, instead, should be to serve a few bottles that go well with everything on the table.
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What’s really cool about this structured, middleweight red is that the notes that you’ll detect after a few swirls of your glass will complement different aspects of the meal: You might notice that pinot’s earthiness harmonizes with a mushroom gravy or highlights the herbs in your stuffing, and its acidity cuts right through a side of creamy potatoes.

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Here’s how one single, versatile red wine grape will have you covered from pre-dinner toast through the main event and until the leftovers are tucked into Tupperware:

Pre-dinner drinking

Once guests arrive, getting drinks in their hands is the first order of business—and there are plenty of pinot-dominant bubbly options to choose from.

Start celebrating with a blanc de noirs (“white from blacks” in French). These sparkling wines are made from black pinot noir and/or pinot meunier grapes (though some American producers go against tradition and include some chardonnay in the blend). These wines—which are fairly light in hue because the grape skins don’t remain in contact with the juice long enough to tint it significantly—are fuller-bodied sparklers with flavors that lean more toward red fruits than citrus. Delicious on their own, they're also are ideal partners for appetizers like arancini or ham croquettes.

Producers all over the world, including American producers Domaine Chandon, Gruet, and J. K. Carriere, make very enjoyable blanc de noirs. I also recommend Willm Blanc de Noirs Cremant d’Alsace Brut, which is a 100% pinot noir with a soft mouthfeel and currant and cherry flavors.

Rosé Champagne adds instant glam to any holiday meal (and also happens to be a dream to pair with food). Though you may not think Champagne up to the task of complementing an autumnal entrée like pork, turkey, or duck, it does so beautifully. The Bollinger NV Brut Rosé, a rich, layered Champagne, which is typically about two-thirds pinot noir. With savory and floral accents to the red fruit, it's terrific paired with a smoked salmon hors d’oeuvre.

The main event

Just about any style of pinot goes well with roasted poultry, so look to your menu’s other components before settling on a particular bottle. In very general terms, Oregon pinot noirs tend to be earthier and more minerally than their California counterparts, which are typically a little heavier, with fruity black cherry and raspberry flavors.

And for guests who like their wines chilled, fresh, and en vogue, there’s a better option than Chardonnay this Thanksgiving: Rosés made from pinot noir are dry and acidic but fruit-forward, typically exhibiting strawberry, raspberry, and cherry notes. They’re terrific with poultry, cheese, shellfish, and vegetables. Sanford’s 2015 Rosé of Pinot Noir, from California’s Santa Rita Hills, has exuberant cherry, cranberry, and raspberry flavors. Ponzi’s 2015 Pinot Noir Rosé, with strawberry and floral flavors at the fore, is another reliably good option.

Alternatives to pinot noir

Not sold on the idea of an all-pinot holiday meal, or have a relative who just won’t come if there’s no white wine on the table? Here are a few other Thanksgiving-appropriate wines:

Pinot gris: Fuller-bodied than Pinot Grigio, but made from the same grape. Your purveyor is likely to have solid offerings from Alsace, Oregon, and/or Anderson Valley, California. I like FEL’s 2015 Anderson Valley pinot gris, which is rife with zippy lemon meringue and stone fruit flavors.

• Rhône (or Rhône-style) whites and reds: Next to pinot, red wines made from syrah and grenache, stars of France’s Rhône Valley, are the most versatile at the holiday table. Enlist your retailer’s help in finding a good bottle—you’re looking for expressions that are judiciously oaked and moderately sized. Rhône whites like E. Guigal’s 2014 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc have a similar weight to that of chardonnay, but are more minerally and floral.

Beaujolais: Beaujolais Nouveau is released the week before Thanksgiving and some expressions of this lighter-bodied red made from the gamay grape will fit the bill on Turkey Day.

Tawny Port: Pumpkin pie, meet your match. The candied nut and fig notes in tawny Port (try Warre’s Otima 10 Year Tawny Port) marry with the pie’s nutmeg notes nicely. Though Port is typically an after-dinner drink, we will not judge you if you enjoyed a glass alongside leftovers of your aunt’s yams-and-marshmallows dish after your company leaves.

A few things to amend in this article:1) Blanc de Noir production only allows for the two black grapes: Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier. The 25% Chardonnay allowance is not allowed.2) In Champagne, rosé production does allow for all approved varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arbane, Petit Meslier.3) Not sure if the statement regarding rosé typically being 2/3 black grapes really stands up- for grower (RM) houses it would really depend upon which grapes they have access to and where they are located.4) I swear I am not part of the CIVC, just an advocate for accuracy in the wine world!

Thanksgiving is an American holiday. Fortunately for wine-bibbers, there are so many great American wines! The rest of the year, let's drink internationally--on Thanksgiving, let's drink locally. For myself, because I live in Central New York, I'll definitely pair my turkey with wines (including Pinot Noirs) from the Finger Lakes. I anticipate flying to Tuscany on New Year's Day (lucky me), so I assure you my near future features Brunellos (not jingoistic)--but really and truly, why are we celebrating anything other than all-American wines on T'giving?

Jennifer, I was just coming here to say the same thing. And personally, I rather like Zinfandel (red, of course!) with Thanksgiving dinner. Or one of the NorCal red blends, such as Marietta Cellars Old Vine Red. The robust and fruity flavors of the wines go so well with the turkey, the cranberry sauce, and just about everything else. I also always like to open a bottle or two of Finger Lakes Riesling for those who really want white. It's just so darned versatile.